Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: A meeting of the Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group was held on Thursday under its Convener Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed.

The meeting, the second since its formation last month, was attended by Senator Salim Mandviwala, Cuban Ambassador Gabriel Tiel Capote and his deputy, Joy, as well as representatives from Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The meeting approved the work plan of the Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group for 2016, which would start with a seminar in May 2016 on ‘How Pakistan can learn from the Cuba health model’. In June 2016, the group would organise a special event on the occasion of the birthday of Ernesto ‘Che’ Guevara, a lecture by Prof Dr Dushka Saiyid on his ‘Life, philosophy and achievements’.

The Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group decided to have a close coordination with its counterpart in the Cuba-Pakistan Friendship Group of the National Assembly of People’s Power of Cuba, particularly its President Arnaldo Vargas. The group also decided to prepare fact sheets on Cuba and Pakistan-Cuba relations.

The Foreign Office briefed the Pakistan-Cuba Parliamentary Friendship Group on the forthcoming bilateral meeting on political consultation between the two governments, which will be held in Havana, Cuba on May 12. The Foreign Office also informed the group that four different MoUs on various sectors of bilateral cooperation are currently under preparation.

It was also decided to celebrate a Pakistan-Cuba friendship week coinciding with the Cultural Day of Cuba on October 20. The group thanked Senator Salim Mandviwala for his generous offer to host two Cuban ladies who are married to Pakistani doctors trained in Cuba to participate in the seminar on health seminar being held next month. The group also expressed its appreciation to Ambassador Gabrial Capote for his proactive role and participation in the meeting of the Pakistan-Cuba Friendship Group on special invitation.

Speaking to the group, Senator Mushahid Hussain acclaimed the achievements of Cuba in the field of education and health and supported the process of normalisation of relations between the United States and Cuba. In this context, he said that continuing the economic, financial and commercial blockade against Cuba is legally and morally unacceptable and it should be lifted with immediate effect. He expressed the hope that the early lifting of the blockade will lead to better relations between Cuba and the international community.

It was decided to celebrate the 90th birthday of the great Cuban revolutionary leader, former president Fidel Castro in the last week of August. At the conclusion of the meeting, the participants prayed for the long life and good health of former president Fidel Castro.